How To Start A Perfect Bridal Registry

09.30.15

As soon as you head home from your wedding reception, you start ripping open the wrapping paper on your gifts with an air of excitement. The first one? A set of square, white dishes. Second one? A set of round white dishes. Third one? You guessed it. The dishes. It's a wedding gift nightmare.

The hassle of returning duplicate or unwanted gifts could have been completely avoided if only you'd set up the perfect bridal registry. If you’re having trouble getting started but want to avoid this wedding gift nightmare, here are five tips to help you start a perfect bridal registry.

Don’t procrastinate.
Setting up your bridal registry should be one of the very first things you do after getting engaged, because friends and family will want to start buying you gifts right away. If you wait until too close to the wedding date, your guests may buy you something random before the registry comes out because they may think you aren’t doing one. You don’t have to have a complete list right away, but at least try to have a selection of various items for your early-bird guests to choose from.

Choose what you really want and need.
Just because most people register for KitchenAid mixers and fine dining sets, it doesn’t mean you have to. If you know you are never going to use those things, or if you have more important things in mind, register for what you’ll actually use! There are many stores that offer bridal registries, so you can choose anything from camping equipment to a nice pair of noise-blocking headphones. Your wedding day is about you and your partner, so you should pick what you really want.

Hit all the price points.
Your former college roommate isn’t going to have the same budget as your beloved family friend, so you’ll want to be sure to give everyone multiple options. The main price points you need to focus on include: under $50, under $75, under $100, and under $200. At some stores, such as Target, you can also register for gift cards, so even if your guest can’t decide what to buy you, he or she can always give you a gift card for any amount.

Register together.
All of the gifts will be for both you and your spouse, so you need to have equal input on what goes on the registry. You will probably want to sit down together and create an inventory of what you already have and what items you want and need. Be sure that the gifts take into account both of your interests and passions.

Register at multiple locations.
It’s a smart idea to have registries at both brick-and-mortar and online stores. Some of your guests may love the convenience of shopping online, while others could still enjoy shopping at a physical store. Start a registry at at least two or three locations; doing so will also give you a wider variety of gift options. For example, if you register at Best Buy, Target, and The Container Store, you will likely end up with at least a few items from each location.